Fractal-based Gait Training in Older Adults
- Conditions
- Healthy Aging
- Interventions
- Other: IsochronousOther: ControlOther: Fractal
- Registration Number
- NCT06507137
- Lead Sponsor
- Egas Moniz - Cooperativa de Ensino Superior, CRL
- Brief Summary
The purpose of the study is to investigate the influence of walking with external visual cues on brain adaptations.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 66
Not provided
- Neurologic conditions;
- Lower limb disabilities or disease;
- Not able to provide informed consent;
- Unable to walk unassisted for 10-minutes continuously;
- Score below 24 in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE);
- Have a history of falls in the prior six months;
- Have an implanted device (e.g., pacemakers);
- Medication advised against the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Isochronous Isochronous - Control Control - Fractal Fractal -
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Fractal scaling exponent (α) changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups. PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) The fractal scaling exponent quantifies the complexity of a physiological signal and detects the presence of statistical persistence in a given time series. This parameter is calculated using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) from each time series (stride time and stride length).
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Corticospinal excitability (CSE) changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups. PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) CSE is a parameter extracted through the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This parameter provides information regarding the level of excitability of the corticospinal tract.
Short-Interval Intracortical Inhibition (SICI) changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups. PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) SICI is a parameter extracted through the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This parameter provides information regarding the level of inhibition of the motor cortex.
Intracortical Facilitation (ICF) changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups. PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) ICF is a parameter extracted through the application of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). This parameter provides information regarding the level of facilitation of the motor cortex.
Ankle, Knee and Hip joints range of motion's changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups during a gait cycle PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) Joint range of motion is measured through a motion capture system and quantifies the excursion of the joint during the gait task in degrees (º).
Ankle, Knee and Hip joints maximum value changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups during a gait cycle PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) Joint maximum value is measured through a motion capture system and quantifies the maximum joint flexion during the gait task in degrees (º). This measure will be used to calculate joint range of motion (outcome 2).
Ankle, Knee and Hip joints angles during initial contact changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups during a gait cycle PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) Joint angle during initial contact is measured through a motion capture system and quantifies the angle of the respective joint at the moment the heel touches the ground during a gait cycle (heel strike) in degrees (º).
Ankle, Knee and Hip joints angles during peak ground reaction force changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups during a gait cycle PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) Electromyography co-contraction changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups. PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) Co-contraction is the simultaneous activation of the agonist and antagonist muscles during a task. This parameter It is an important mechanism of the central nervous system to regulate joint stability and provide movement accuracy.
Ankle, Knee and Hip joints minimum value changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups during a gait cycle PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) Joint minimum value is measured through a motion capture system and quantifies the minimum joint flexion during the gait task in degrees (º). This measure will be used to calculate joint range of motion (outcome 2).
Coefficient of variation (CV) changes from baseline (PRE to POS, PRE to FUP, POS to FUP) both within and between Fractal, Isochronous and Control groups. PRE (baseline), POS (4 weeks after), FUP (8 weeks after) CV is a common linear measure that translates the amount of variability within the signal and is calculated through the standard deviation normalised to the mean from each time series (stride time and stride length).
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Egas Moniz School of Health and Science
🇵🇹Almada, Monte De Caparica, Portugal